Hermione's Story
by the one and only ZARIA
Summary: Sure we all know that Hermione is a know-it-all, but what about before? Before she got her Hogwarts acceptance letter? Before she even knew that there really was magic? Read on. This is what I think... Chapter 2 is FINALLY up! Hurrah for me...
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter: Hermione's Story  
  
Summary: Sure we all know that Hermione is a know-it-all, but what about before? Before she got her Hogwarts acceptance letter? Before she even knew that there really was magic? Read on. This is what I think...  
  
Chapter One:  
  
Hermione was an ordinary girl. She had naturally brown, bushy hair and large front teeth. She couldn't care less about what she looked like though. What she worried about were her grades. She was failing nearly all of her classes and her parents were not too happy about it.  
  
Until around grade four, she had never paid attention in class because she figured the future was too far off to be worrying what she would be doing every day of her life for the rest of it. However, on the first day of grade five, a teacher asked all the students of her class what they wanted to be when they grew up. Every one seemed to know what they wanted to be; every one, that is, except Hermione. She had never paid attention to it, she had told the teacher, so why should she now? The teacher instantly began to lecture her about decisions and how important they are and how they affect life in the future, no matter how small they may be. Hermione zoned out then, but that question would linger in her mind for the next few weeks. 'What am I going to be when I get older?'  
  
Her birthday came and she had finally turned 10. 'Now I only have nine more months of school left and I go into middle school... That's closer to being all grown up... I wish I could do better in school. On September 16, 1990, Hermione decided to improve herself to become a better student. 'It can't be that hard. All of those dworks at school make it seem so easy.' (A/N: replace the word 'dwork' with the word dork and you'll be fine. Go Raenella!)  
  
However, trying to be a better student would prove to be more difficult than said. Much more difficult. However, she didn't care too much for any of her subjects. It was English she hated the most. Now don't get her wrong. She liked reading. In fact, she loved reading! It's just what they read in class that bothered her. The teacher always seemed to choose really boring history novels for them to read. Hermione preferred fantasy. To be more specific: magic. There had always been an obsession with it since she realized how difficult things could get. She just loved the though of being able to just pull out a wand and having something disappear like that. She wondered so much, what it would be like to go to a magic school.  
  
Christmas came and went and she got several new books about witches and wizards but it did not satisfy her quench for real magic. She had easily finished reading all of them before the new year of 1991. Hermione made a wish that she could somehow find a school of magic and never have to worry about her English mark again. She was positive that if she went to a school for magic she would do wonderfully well because it would be what she what she wanted to do. That's when it happened.  
  
The moment the clock struck midnight, an owl came in through her living room window. Her mother screamed, her father yelled but she stayed calm. 'Was this a sign?' she wondered. She quickly noticed that the owl had a letter tied around its foot. Hermione rushed over to alleviate it from the owl. She saw that the envelope had her name on it. She was shaking all over. Could this be it? Would she be forever free of English and all those other horrible classes? She could only hope. She read the heading of the letter and couldn't believe her eyes. It read:  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
  
Hermione didn't believe it. It only was fake, right? 'I have sense,' Hermione thought to herself. 'And this makes none. Therefore, I'm going to use my sense and say that this doesn't exist and it's not happening. Magic isn't real. I just want it to be. I just really wish it could be real...'  
  
She continued to read the letter:  
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Ms. Granger,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
She turned to her parents and said, "Really funny. Thanks for putting me on like that. You almost had me going there."  
  
"What are you talking about dear?" her mother asked looking genuinely puzzled.  
  
"This letter of course! You didn't think I would know it was you so soon, did you? You knew how much I wished that magic could be real so you decided to send me this letter. The owl was a real nice touch though." Hermione turned and left the room.  
  
"What was that all about?" Hermione's father asked her mother.  
  
"I have no idea..." answered Mrs. Granger in complete honesty.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning, when Hermione woke up, the first thing she saw was an owl perched on her bedpost. Not knowing what else to do, she yelled. Her mother came in quickly and was about to ask her what was wrong, when she saw the owl. She too started to yell, as she was terrified of birds. Hermione quickly regained herself when she realized that her mother was yelling as well. 'Some one has to be the grown up...' she thought to herself. Once again, she noticed that the owl had a letter around its leg. She quickly removed it and opened the letter:  
  
Dear Ms. Granger,  
  
We have noticed that you believe our letter to be a fake. This is completely real. It was overlooked that you were a muggle (non-magic person). Enclosed is an extra book list for your help to more understand our world. Please reply with this owl confirming that you will join us this year at Hogwarts.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
'Could this be real?' Hermione asked herself again. She flipped to the other sheet of paper. On it was a moving map from her house to a place called 'Diagon Alley.' Hermione frowned. She should really talk to her mother about this...  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
It was agreed then. She would go to this school, Hogwarts. Or at least they would try to find this place called 'Diagon Alley.' If it was a real place and not a hoax, then perhaps she might attend otherwise she would continue at her current school. But now it was time to concentrate on regular school.  
  
That was definitely harder said than done. Instead of having her marks increase with all of her studying efforts, they went down. Her parents were proud of her nonetheless because they noticed the change in her studying habits and were happy that she was at least trying to improve... Well, that's what they thought... While Hermione was 'studying', she actually was trying to do as much research on magic as she possibly could. She started off studying each time, but she always got off track and would look something up about magic and make a mental note about it that would forever stay in her mind. She had troubles like that and therefore probably the reason why she was such a bad student.  
  
June came by quickly and report card day was coming up soon. Hermione's marks had almost all dropped by a few percent, but she did not care, as soon she would go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
On the first day of summer break, Hermione dragged her parents off the where the letter said The Leaky Cauldron was located. They came across a dingy looking pub. Her parents looked at each other nervously and her mother quietly asked if she was sure that this was the correct place. "I'm positive. Look, it says the address right here and it says that this is the place there," Hermione replied first pointing to the letter then to the number under the Leaky Cauldron's sign. "The only part I don't understand is that the letter says to ask the bartender Tom to help us enter Diagon Alley. Why would we need help?"  
  
They cautiously entered the pub and looked around. There was an assortment of strange people in the establishment. People varied from very tall to extremely short and not being able to touch the floor, to people that wouldn't show their faces. As they walked over to the counter, they heard a woman under a baklava ask for a dish of raw liver. Hermione shuddered, as she couldn't even eat liver cooked without wanting to throw up. They made it up to the counter and asked for a Tom. A man with few teeth came up to them quickly and asked them gruffly what they wanted. Hermione showed him the letter and his face lit up. He quickly apologized for being rude and explained that it was to frighten away any regular muggles that might have been able to see the establishment.  
  
He led them into a side chamber and pulled out a stick from his coat pocket. He strategically tapped the wall several times with it. Nothing happened. "Please wait a moment. My wand isn't what it used to be," he said kindly. Hermione looked at the stick in his hands in shock. She was about to question him about it when the bricks started to shift. Hermione and her parents gasped in shock as the bricks started to rearrange themselves to make a wide doorway.  
  
"This," Tom said, "is Diagon Alley." 


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** My, my, my… it certainly has been a while and it probably wasn't even worth the wait… Oh well… maybe now people can get off my back about this… _

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**Hermione's Story: Chapter 2 **

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Hermione gaped in shock at what she saw. It truly was her dream come true! It was even more! She saw a wand shop, and magical pet shop, a robe shop and so much more! She quickly pulled out her list and scanned it. What did she want to buy first? It did not take her long to decide; Hermione wanted her wand.

Tom had started to say something when Hermione had started to walk to the wand shop. Walking half way there she realized it would be hard to make her purchase without money. She sheepishly turned back to her parents but they were too busy speaking with Tom to notice. He seemed to be explaining something to them. Hermione decided to listen so she could decide whether it was important or not.

"…the bank, which is over there," he pointed at the largest building in the centre of the square," should help you with your dilemma," Tom offered kindly to Hermione's confused looking parents. It clearly wasn't only her thinking that she'd need some money. When her parents started to walk off to the cream coloured building, she announced that she was going off to the wand shop and that they could me her there. She quickly made sure they knew where it was before she skipped off quickly before her parents could stop her.

She walked into the shop and was once again in awe. On the outside, this shop looked just as shabby as the Leaky Cauldron did, with it's solitary wand on a dusty, purple cushion in the window. She walked in cautiously and looked around for a moment when all of a sudden a short, greying man came out of the backroom.

"Good day," he said brusquely. "First year. Come along." He quickly led her to a counter where he had a small stack of slender boxes, each slightly dusty in turn.

"Which are is your wand arm?" the short man asked.

"My right? I write with my right hand that is…"

"Right arm…" he mumbled. "I'm going to have to measure you. It shan't take too long."

Hermione watched as he pulled out his own wand and pointed at a measuring tape. It floated towards her and started measuring her height.

The man then walked behind the counter and started pulling slender boxes off the shelves. "Do you like to read?" he asked Hermione all of a sudden.

"Well, yes. I like to read fantasy novels."

"Fantasy, you say? And what about food? Do you like French toast?"

"Umm… Yes I do. But what does that have to—"

"And what about purple hair elastics? Do you use those?"

"Yes. I do but what does that have to do with anything? And why am I being measured between my _nostrils_?"

"My you ask a lot of questions."

"So do you!"

"But I'm doing it to pair you up with your perfect wand. I know these wands better than anyone else could ever hope to. By asking questions I can save a lot of time to match you with your perfect wand rather than you trying every wand in the shop. I have it down to an art form. Now which would you prefer?"

"I guess I prefer less time."

"And there we have it. Here, try this wand. Nine and a half inches, holly with a unicorn tail hair core."

Hermione tentatively took the wand from the man's hand while she watched the measuring tape fold itself on the counter out of the corner of her eye. With a wand she could one day make a measuring tape fold as well! But of course who would ever get a wand _just_ to fold a measuring tape? With a wand she would never have to do her chores again. She wouldn't have to write anymore stupid English assignments about stupid books or take up space in her geography notes to look like she did the work. With a wand she could charm the pen to do the work for her! But then again, if she went to Hogwarts, she wouldn't have to worry about English or geography anymore now would she? But wait… Weren't wands supposed to be black sticks with white on the tips?

In the corner of her otherwise occupied mind she heard the man tell her something.

"Sorry, what was that?" she asked quickly.

The man muttered something under his breath that involved the words 'kids' and 'never appreciate anything these days'. Hermione rolled her eyes when he looked away. "I said, give it a wave!"

"Give what a wave?"

"Your head. The wand of course!"

"Oh of course. I would know what to wave seeing as I've known this world existed for the past two days."

"Just wave the wand."

"Fine."

"Hermione!"

Hermione turned and saw her parents enter the shop together. They both looked just as excited as she felt. She saw the old man roll his eyes. She refrained from rolling her eyes herself at him.

"What's this store sell, sweet?" her father asked her.

"Wands!" she exclaimed. "I was just about to test this one when you came in." And with that she finally gave the wand a wave. A few blue sparks came out of the wand tip.

"Yet another perfect guess!" the graying man exclaimed loudly to himself.

"Right. And how much will that be?" Hermione asked him wanting to leave the store as soon as possible.

Her parents paid the eleven sickles and they turned to leave.

"Thank you Mr… I never did catch your name."

"I never gave it. I am Mr Ollivander. I'm not the owner of this shop though. I'm his cousin. He had other business today so I'm just filling in for him."

"I see. Well, thanks."

"Your welcome." Mr. Ollivander the cousin turned and went into the back room to polish wands or something. (A/N: I really like that double meaning. But maybe that's just my sick, perverted mind…)

Hermione turned to exit the shop with her parents and they made their way over to the book shop.

Flourish and Blotts was unlike any book store she or her parents had ever seen. Books were stacked anywhere and everywhere in no particular order throughout the shop. People milled about everywhere going though stacks piled so high and crookedly that only magic could have been keeping them upright.

"How am I supposed to find my school books in all of… of _this_?" she found herself asking her parents.

"Well… you could ask an employee," her father answered her.

"Can I help you find anything today, Sir?" a young store employee asked Mr Granger.

"Oh!" the man gaped.

"Yes, actually. I need all of the books on this list please," Hermione said to the young man handing him her school list.

"A first year, right?"

"Yes, that I am."

Within five minutes Hermione's arms were full of books. She quickly passed them off to her parents and she wandered off to look at leisure books. She spent fifteen minutes looking at one stack of comics that seemed to generally be about a popular "Marvin the Mad Muggle" and a few varied "Nelson the Norm". A few minutes later and two piles over, she came across a book called _Hogwarts: A History_. She carefully freed it from the overwhelming pile of books and flipped through it. 'How fascinating!' she thought to herself. 'The school must be very old. There must be so much to learn about it!'

She added that book to what she was already carrying and heard her parents calling her to leave. She hurriedly grabbed the top three books on a nearby stack to look at later. 'I'm going to learn as much as I possibly can about this world. This is a great way to do it.'

Hermione went over to the counter and her mother paid for all of the books.

"What else do you need, dear," her mother asked as they left the book shop.

"I need school robes."

"Those sound… different," her mother said. "You mean a uniform?"

"I suppose so. How am I supposed to know? Oh look! Madame Malkins _(A/N: One 'k' or two… Hmmm…)_. That must be the place."

Hermione made her way over to the tailor's with her parents tagging along behind her.

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_**A/N**: And there's chapter two. Just one more chapter of shopping and then I'll send here off to the train! Stay tuned, and thanks for waiting for this chapter! Nine months is a tad too long to wait for a crappy chapter. I'll start working on the next chapter right after I finish cleaning my room. I only have two more days to finish cleaning it, so I'll start soon!_

_Ta!_

_The One and Only Zaria_


End file.
